I've got a 2006 X1. I'm just starting to get where I can jump the wake on my hyperlite 136 with two small fins on each end. I'm needing some help on ballast as weighting. How many pounds and where do I need the weight? I have the two stock hard ballast in the rear, I believe they are 200 lb each, and then one 350lb sack in the ski locker center of boat. How many pounds do I need for a good wake?

Also I need to know what length of rope to use??

Sorry I know these are basic questions, but me and my buddies are all beginners. I tried to find a post on this because I'm sure I'm not the first to ask these, but I couldn't find one.

Thanks!

willg

06-10-2013, 03:02 PM

I was satisfied for a long time with my factory setup. If you are beginning I would really master the stock setup before you start launching into the stratosphere. The week after I upgraded my ballast I tore my acl, mcl and meniscus on the board :(.

BUT if you want to upgrade:
Most people pull the hard tanks in the back and run either twin 400lb fat sacs if you are mostly boarding or twin 750lb sacs if you are surfing. If you upgrade the back, you are going to want to balance with weight in the front. Fly High makes an integrated bow sac (http://www.wakemakers.com/mastercraft-piggyback-bow-ballast-system.html) that can be easily plumbed in as an over-flow fill style sac. I would try to rig up a fourth pump to fill the sac though, it makes it much more efficient.

I upgraded to the 750s in the back, but mostly board and kinda wish I went with the 400s. Its tricky to figure out how much weight is in the sacs when filling and you basically have to fill at speed and watch the wake. But the 750s make a much better surf wake.

Some people board with both 750s full but my MC dealer (who is also a fly high dealer) said it is probably too much weight for the hull and isn't doing much good. I did run with mine full once just to test it and the wake was ludicrous, but it was hard to control the boat, and the stern was pretty low in the water.

Fat sacs are the way to go, and installing them only takes about an hour.

I'm sure others will chime in with many other suggestions as this has been discussed many times.

I run 750s in rear and the big 1000 triangle in the bow. Everything full. Wake is primo. Boat drives great.

But any less nose weight it changes everything. Boat drove terrible and while the wake looked decent, it was horrible.

The prop will need to be upgraded to run this weight.

willg

06-10-2013, 03:18 PM

I run 750s in rear and the big 1000 triangle in the bow. Everything full. Wake is primo. Boat drives great.

But any less nose weight it changes everything. Boat drove terrible and while the wake looked decent, it was horrible.

The prop will need to be upgraded to run this weight.

That 1000lb triangle is probably what I needed to run 750s in the rear.

JRW160

06-10-2013, 04:21 PM

I run 750s in rear and the big 1000 triangle in the bow. Everything full. Wake is primo. Boat drives great.

But any less nose weight it changes everything. Boat drove terrible and while the wake looked decent, it was horrible.

The prop will need to be upgraded to run this weight.
That is what I run. If I have more than 3 or so people in the boat, I let a little weight out of the 750s, otherwise I run them full. 24.5mph at 75ft.

willyt

06-10-2013, 04:37 PM

i ran the 750's in the back of mine, with the 300ish lb locker sac, 300ish walkway sac and a couple hundred lbs of lead stuffed up in the bow. usually made one person sit up in the bow too. 750s definitely arent a waste back there. right before i sold it started running a 400 right behind the walkway sac too. with the 750's the boat really likes midweight/frontweight. wake was bananas, i think we rode about 23.5 @ 75 ft.

turbozinke

06-11-2013, 08:43 AM

Wow you guys are going a lot faster than I thought! We've been going 17mph at about 50'

willyt

06-11-2013, 11:48 AM

what we've outlined is definitely the intermediate/advanced setup. I would slowly add weight to the boat until your skills catch up with the wake potential if your only at 17 mph 50 ft now

agarabaghi

06-11-2013, 02:04 PM

best setup so far:

750 on each side of motor
370 in ski locker
750 on floor behind drivers seat
600 in lead in the nose

you can add another 400 upfront to mellow the lip out

agarabaghi

06-11-2013, 02:04 PM

whoops didnt read, that is also like 24mph at 75/80'

swatguy

06-12-2013, 02:50 PM

Around the same. I ride usually very small crew. 3 people max.

750's rear, 350 or so in custom locker sac. Integrated bow sac 350ish , 450 in the walkway up front and around 200lbs pop products up front and another 200 under the rear observer bench on the passenger side to offset the weight of the torque on the prop.

I am at 80ft 24.5mph

I was running all pop products in the nose for a long time til I picked up the ski again. I found using the pop bags I needed less weight because I was able to concentrate the lead as far forward as possible. I was able to get away with 500 lbs of pop bags but 500lbs of water in the walkway won't cut it

swatguy

06-12-2013, 03:11 PM

Keep in mind with the weight most of us are running this I the high end of wake. Speed also is a huge factor. With the 750's full and the rest you need to be at the 24mph mark to get it cleaned up.

Yourself being a beginner rider at 17mph the factory should be plenty. However if you want to up it here is what I would do.

Rip out your tanks. Use 500lb bags on each side of engine. Run you locker sac and add a 500- 700 lb bag to the nose. You have to consider what speed you like and how much u plan on progressing. At 21-23 mph that 500 bag scenario is optimal at 65-70 ft. That will get 75% if not more of anyone a mackin wake. The rest of weight we all have chimed in on is really an advanced setup.

If you plan in surfing or progressing to top level tricks. Opt for the 750 bags right away and just fill them to your liking. It makes it hard to get exactly the same fill every single time so that's the only downfall without maxing them out, but it gives you room to grow.

For now tho try upping you speed a bit and letting rope out to 60ft at around 20 mph. Riding at 17 and that short of a rope is little tough if you are consistently clearing the wake.

snork

06-12-2013, 05:22 PM

you'd have a hard time get'n a 100lb person riding correctly on a wakeboard only go'n 17 mph
if you're 150lbs or more you need to increase your speed to 22-23 mph and line length of 60+ ft
and at 17mph your wake is too soft the higher speeds will give your wake some firmness. As you add weight to the boat you'll increase your speed and increase the line length

turbozinke

06-13-2013, 10:00 AM

Sounds like great advice guys. I don't mind spending money, but I'd rather be content with what I have until I get more advanced. That said I think I'll do what swatguy suggested, try to extend the rope out to 60ft, and speed up to around 20mph. I'll be on the lake this weekend! Its the first week of hot in Arkansas. The high all year has been about 82, but it gotten up to 97 this week. Time to cool off!

dvsone79

06-16-2013, 10:44 PM

I run 750s in the back, 300 in ski locker, and a 750 in the walkway. 23 at 75'. I really need more weight up front. So go with what CaryK and JRW said and get the 1100 sac for the bow. You can always fill everything halfway if you don't want a huge wake, but you will eventually want it big. Might as well do it right.

monsterwake

12-26-2013, 09:58 PM

I am currently at 21.5mph and 60ft with the 400# FlyHigh's in the back and a 370# KGB.
I am about to replace my 400# sacks in the back with the 750#. Then I will put one of the 400# sacks in the walk way between the driver and observer. Then if more is needed in the front I will set it across the top of the one in the walk way. I will also be riding at 23mph and 70ft because that is where I was behind my buddies AXIS at the end of the season.

CC2MC

12-26-2013, 10:31 PM

Wow you guys are going a lot faster than I thought! We've been going 17mph at about 50'

Everyone has great suggestions here on the speed and weight. The reason for the faster speed and longer rope is bc when you add weight, you need more speed to clear the wider wake. It would be difficult for me to even clear my wake at 17mph bc I couldn't get enough speed. If you are going by your boat speedo, double check it with a GPS to make sure it is what you think it is. 1-2mph will make a pretty big difference when it comes to wakeboarding. Ease your way into it and post some videos and/or pics.

BudmanV24

12-27-2013, 09:54 AM

What have you guys found works well for a good walkway sac?

MC25

12-28-2013, 12:07 AM

Bud we need the triangle sac for the bow. Lol. But it doesnt get much better than this

sallen

12-29-2013, 03:14 PM

How do you guys that put the 750s in the back get them about half full for the intermediate wakeboarder? I have a 2008 and I believe I have the 20 minute timers. I played around with the KGB timer and was about to get 26 blinks or so.

GNA001

12-30-2013, 08:12 AM

Budman - I use the wakemakers 400lbs sack in the walkway. The length stops just short of the ski locker (in case you'd ever want to get in there) and the height is close to seat high in the bow area. You won't get the full 400# but it's close.